14 Summer 2023 Makeup Trends That Will Define Your Look

Summer is a time for fun. Sure, you may still have to work on the weekdays, but nights and weekends are yours, and the right makeup can help you make the best of them. From looks that are rave-ready to ones that you can safely wear to the office, your makeup routine deserves a fashionable upgrade this season.

If you want a look that stands out this summer, we have the trends you want to embrace -– from your eyes to your lips and beyond, we're exploring the makeup that will have you beach-ready, partying down all night, and ready to face work the next morning. You want something that draws attention and gives you a vibe that others absolutely want, and we've collected those looks for you. Mix those that are combinable, or try each one at a time — you're sure to find some new tricks that you'll love to show off.

If you were around in the '80s, or have parents who were, you've probably delighted in the shiny colors of holographic stickers. If you're a fan of eye makeup that really stands out in a crowd, you'll definitely want to try out the hologram eye trend. There are holographic makeup products from companies like L'Oréal Paris, but you can also use eye shadows that you already have in your current palettes to pull off this look.

Pick some eye colors that are shimmery or metallic, in related shades — like the multiple blues the Instagrammer pictured above used. You can go for a darker shade inside and toward the outside of your lid and then blend a lighter shade in the middle, or you can use two or three colors with the darker shade toward the bridge of your nose, leading to the lightest color at the outer edge of your lid. While you do want to lightly blend the edges so that you have a smooth transition between shades, this is not the time to over blend.

Think about it: The hot sun and all of the summer fun causes a good deal of your makeup to melt off your face anyway, so why put so much work into it? Summer is an excellent time to sport a fresh face, but you don't have to learn how to rock your blemishes — you just need the right products to give yourself a natural look that passes as makeup-free even though it isn't. 

If you want your face to shine this summer, some of the things we suggest doing include using a moisturizer instead of caking on that foundation. If you battle blemishes or uneven skin tones, get a tinted moisturizer. Reach for the nudes when it comes to shades of blush and eyeshadow, or you can always add a little natural tan-like look with a bronzer. Clear mascara will come in handy this time of year as well — it can give your eyelashes a lift without messing with glue or cakey dark colors. Lastly, be sure to carry some clear lipgloss with you.

Done right, blue eyeshadow can look fabulously amazing — from a mermaid wet look to a starry-eyed look perfect for a night on the town. Or, done wrong, you can look like a little kid who raided their parent's makeup case and had no idea what they were doing. We're thinking a classy look, more in the line of the blue shadow look brought back in movies like "X" and "The Love Witch." We want you to embrace your inner Twiggy and rock those blue eye colors this summer, and here's how to do it.

Go easy! That's the biggest tip. This isn't a color you want to put all the way up to your eyebrows. We also suggest that when going with such a dramatic color, you'll want to go easy on the blush and lips. The Instagrammer pictured above opted for subtle lips and cheeks, while drawing attention to her eyes with her bold blue shadow. Metallics are great for a wet look, while paler blues will offer you that '70s vibe. Pair with black or even white eyeliner, and highlight under your eyes with one of the colors you used on the lids, but remember — go easy.

These days, you don't need to wear a mood ring to enjoy the color-changing aspect of these vintage accessories — there are all sorts of makeup that can do it for you. While color-changing lipstick is nothing new, as it's been a thing since the '70s, you now have color-changing eyeshadow, foundation, and more to play around with. From foundations that go on white or clear and then somehow magically match your skin tone to eyeshadow that looks pink one minute and yellow the next, pH-reacting makeup is all over.

How does it work? According to Roselin Rosario, L'Oréal Associate Principal Chemist, via Makeup.com, "Certain dyes act like pH indicators — compounds capable of changing their color in the presence of a particular pH." She adds, "Although the pH of the surface of the skin is about 5, once the lipstick is applied on the skin, it will interact with the basic pH components of your cells and moisture."

Not into the wet look, or just like trying various looks for different nights out? Go for a matte look this summer. It will leave you looking cool as a cucumber, even on the hottest day. If you struggle with oily skin, a matte look can help you feel more confident, too. The biggest issue with matte foundation, much like matte paint when you paint a wall, is that it will amplify your imperfections — which means your fine lines and wrinkles may stand out more (so be sure to moisturize well first).

Of course, even if you opt out of an allover matte finish and skip the matte foundation, you can still get that "dry" look on other parts of your face. Matte blush, eyeshadow, and even lipstick are a thing. And, to ensure a smoother outcome and help keep your makeup in place longer, prep your skin with a matte primer.

While lining only your lower eyelids can give a more subtle look, and lining only the top is classic (depending on how you do it), we're finding the trend of lining the top and bottom — aka double-lining — is coming back into favor. While you can adopt a grunge-style look with a smoky eye and even amounts of dark liner on top and on the bottom, there are more subtle looks you can try if you want to keep things more down-to-earth and less dramatic.

When it comes to wearing your eyeliner, Rachael Bebe suggests not going too heavy on your bottom lid and to also avoid using liner on your waterline. A thick liner under your eyes is bound to smudge, and coloring your waterline makes your eyes look smaller (of course, if that's what you're aiming for, go for it). Going all the way across the bottom adds drama, but if you want to tone things down, just do it halfway across or use a lighter-colored liner on the bottom. See what looks most balanced to you when chasing this trend.

Summer is a time when many of us look sweaty, but you can get a wet look without looking like you're melting. It's more of a fresh from the pool with your makeup still looking perfect look, and we love it. It feels refreshing — as you can see by the look of our sample picture. You can easily get this look, sans the redness that comes with a sweatier face!

To achieve this trendy look, it's all about picking the right products — from illuminating products like strobe cream, to foundations that give you dewy skin. Grab your other favorite shiny products too, including lipgloss and metallic eyeshadow. If you have some sparkly, wet-looking highlighters, add them to get a rosy glow on your cheeks (just go light with the blush so you don't come off looking overheated). It's not makeup, but give your hair a wet look with a light addition of some gel to damp locks for a complete look that lasts all day.

Frosted lips were a big thing in the '90s. It's a look that gives your usual lipstick a frosty, somewhat shiny, look — as though you spent some time outside on a chilly day or hanging out in the walk-in freezer at a grocery store. You don't have to get chilly to get the look, thankfully. Plus, as Opeyemi Adeyemo, Founder of OPV Beauty, said to Glamour, "Todays lipsticks for the frosted lips trend have newer, duo-chromed pigments that have better light reflectivity. They've also been adapted to be hydrating on lips, long-lasting and smudge-proof, making this trend wearable for a night out, or a casual lunch."

To get the look, you can purchase a lipstick that already has a pearly look, or you can pair a shimmery lighter lipstick over a cream or matte lip color. Pictured above, the Instagrammer is wearing a flattering mauve shade with taupe undertones, giving a nice frosty look that we love. And if you really want to throw it back to the '90s, add a darker lip liner — but update the trend by blending it into your lipstick.

Nix contouring this summer in favor of embracing your natural beauty, and take a hint from this Chinese (C-beauty) beauty trend that has us spending less time at the vanity and more time enjoying the sunshine. This look may be reminiscent of what you did as a little kid when you first started playing with makeup — as the suggestion is to put your blush on the ball of your cheeks in a circular motion, then blend it out some. It gives you a youthful glow while adding just a touch of fresh color to your face.

Of course, this technique may not be for everyone. Jelly skin's sunny glow may feel a little too childish for some. If you're all about a girlish look, or love adorable dolly or prep school vibes, then we highly recommend trying this trend. The bonus is that you can do this with the blush you already have on hand.

Faux lashes definitely make our eyes stand out, but rather than opting for a full faux lash, there's a new trend known as doll eyes, and it really gives us some vintage Hollywood and pin-up vibes. The first step in getting this dolly look is to use individual eyelashes so that you get a nice natural look that lasts longer. If you're not a fan of faux lashes in any form, you can draw on dramatic lashes with black eyeliner and still get that vintage diva look.

Once your lashes are in, grab a white eyeliner pencil. The white eyeliner, no matter how you choose to use it, is going to make those lashes pop, making them even more visible. Plus, it'll brighten up your eyes. White eyeshadow is a great option as well. Pair these lashes with a more natural face to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to ensuring your eyes are the focal point.

Brown lipstick may have had its heyday in the late '90s, but it is now back for another round, and it's one of those trends you may want to hop on. Your choice of browns definitely matters, so you'll want to find something that goes well with your skin tone. Sugar Cosmetics suggests orange or red undertones if you have fair skin, warm or darker shades for those with darker skin, while those with medium skin tones can play around with whatever shades they desire.

We suggest that unless you're going for a smudged look, grab a lip liner to add a little life to your brown — a darker shade will make your lips pop even more, while a lighter shade will give you a more subtle and classic look. You can opt for matte lips if you want something more natural, or go with a glossy finish to give your lips the wet look.

If you're ready to look like a million bucks, the diamond lipstick trend should be your summer go-to. While you can purchase shimmery lipsticks that look as though they have glitter dust mixed right in, this is also a look you can pull off without any specialty purchases. If you prefer a one-and-done step routine with your lips, however, feel free to invest in some already glittery lip options.

All you really need for this look is your favorite lipstick, a liner in a matching shade, some sparkly eyeshadow, and a shiny lipgloss. Use your liner to get your preferred lip shape, then put on your chosen lipstick. Blot it, dab it, or do whatever your usual routine is before dabbing some of that sparkly eyeshadow on and then sealing it all in place with the lipgloss. Some proponents suggest you put the gloss on first and then the eyeshadow, but doing it the opposite way helps keep your glittery layer in place better. Play around with colors — this look can be great for a more nude lip or something outrageous, like blue lips.

Dry eyeshadow has a major contender this summer with eye gloss on the shelves at all of our favorite makeup stores. This is a great choice for the wet look, but you can also use gloss eyeshadow anytime you want to help add a little more pizzazz to your look. We love the dreamy look our spotlighted Instagrammer used above, but you can really do any look you want with gloss eyeshadow.

When applying eye gloss, you have a couple of options. You can use eye gloss alone, whether you've purchased a tinted option or a clear one — this will give you that subtle look and works great when you're going for a more dialed-back natural face. Or you can combine your eye gloss with your usual eyeshadow for a more dramatic look. It's very easy to do — just put on your eyeshadow as you normally would, along with your eyeliner, then put on your eye gloss for an added wet look. 

Even though subtle looks are very much in this summer, bold looks are getting their props as well. And, while you may not have ever thought of pairing those blue eyeshadow looks with orange lipstick, you can! Orange and blue are complementary colors, meaning they play well with each other. With your face as a canvas, you can create an exceptional work of art. Of course, if bold isn't your thing, you can still play around with orange lips and go light in other areas on your face.

With a bright and bold lip color, you definitely want to aim for perfection — starting with a liner to get the perfect lip shape is ideal. It gives you a border to stay within so that your orange lips look smooth rather than smudgy. And, while a bold orange lip can be fun (especially for those with red or blonde hair, or darker skin tones), you don't have to pick a bright or neon color. You can start with a pale orange to get the hang of wearing this fun shade before you decide to go bright.